With support from our Innovation Service, i2i Pipelines turned a complex R&D challenge into breakthrough technology that is creating jobs, boosting productivity and unlocking future sales.
Innovation grant
Sales predicted for next financial year
New jobs forecast
Developing new products or technologies often means balancing the risks of high costs and technical uncertainty against the potential rewards of growth and innovation. GM Business Growth Hub helps to manage these challenges, providing the guidance and expertise they need to move ideas forward.
For i2i Pipelines’ Chief Product Officer Anthony Hodson, that support was decisive. It gave the business the resources to tackle a complex project, turn bold ideas into reality, and bring new technology to market faster.
Innovation in the pipeline
i2i specialises in sensor technology for pipeline inspection and monitoring – a critical part of maintaining global infrastructure, given that failures can cause major disruption, high costs and environmental damage.
Its tools are designed to be simple to deploy and maintain, even in complex pipeline networks. Clients can operate them regularly without specialist support, sending inspection data back to i2i for analysis and reporting. This practical approach has already won the company customers across the USA, Mexico, Africa, Australia, China and the Middle East.
But while these foam pigs (pictured to the left) – soft devices that travel through pipelines carrying sensors – offered a low-cost and flexible solution, the data they produced had limits. i2i saw an opportunity to take inspection further, to capture more detailed insights that would spot problems earlier and help operators act before they became critical.
With the help of £12,000 innovation grant funding, the company began developing a reusable ultrasonic sensor system. The technology works by embedding ultrasonic transmitters in the foam pig, using the pipeline’s own fluid (oil or water) to carry sound waves through the pipe walls. The echoes that bounce back provide a far more detailed picture of the pipe’s condition, both inside and out.
De-risking R&D to accelerate technology development
Developing this breakthrough wasn’t straightforward, says Russell Mansfield, Commercialisation Specialist at GM Business Growth Hub: “There were significant technical challenges, from designing pressure-resistant casings to aligning multiple ultrasonic sensors with precision, while also ensuring the electronics could cope with the harsh conditions inside live pipelines. On top of that, the high cost of ultrasonic sensors meant i2i needed to design them to be recoverable and reusable to make the product viable.”
Thanks to the Hub, i2i was able to partner with a specialist commercial supplier to source the ultrasonic components, which was essential to turning the concept into a working product. Chief Product Officer Anthony Hodson explains the innovation’s benefits: “The data we can now produce is around five times more detailed, which means we can identify cracks, thinning walls and corrosion at a much earlier stage, long before they become critical.”
Jobs, growth and global exports
The project has strengthened i2i’s commercial position, with the new product line commanding a higher price point thanks to its vastly improved performance. Sales for the next financial year are forecast at £200k, with three new jobs predicted by the end of 2026 (including one already created), and a measurable increase in productivity within the business.
Anthony says, “The support from GM Business Growth Hub helped de-risk our R&D project and allowed us to push ahead with development. As a result, we’ve been able to produce an innovative and scalable product that will not only drive our international sales but help pipeline operators in sectors like oil, gas and water avoid the kind of leaks and spills that can cause serious environmental damage.”
Adds Commercialisation Specialist, Russell: “It’s great to work with a Salford-based business that designs and manufactures locally, then exports globally. Once the design was proven, i2i assembled everything in Salford and shipped it around the world.”
Greater Manchester’s innovation ecosystem in action
This isn’t the first time i2i has tapped into Greater Manchester’s innovation ecosystem. Many of its engineers have been graduates from Greater Manchester’s higher education institutions, and the business continues to draw on the city region’s deep pool of technical talent.
If your business has the ambition to innovate but needs support to overcome the hurdles, GM Business Growth Hub can help. From our place at the heart of the innovation ecosystem, we’re here to accelerate your route to market. Contact our team today on 0161 359 3050 or bgh@growthco.uk.
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